Help! Need to stop payment on check to shady repair guy--am I too late? What else can I do?

[Anonymous]

Yesterday I wrote a check to an AC repair guy who was sent by our home warranty company. The guy said he needed to get a part and that he would come back today to finish the job. He was shady and uncharged me for extra services but I was in a rush and had 2 cranky kids and I wasn't going to be home when he came back (the work is all outside), so I wrote him a check for the extras and the deductible. He was supposed to email me a receipt but instrad emailed me an invoice that did notentiom the extras and did not acknowledge my payment. The guy didn't show today and didn't call. I've since done some research and found that the extra services he charged me for are things I can easily do myself. He hasn't done them yet and I don't want him to, plus I don't want him to have the payment for our deductible until he does the repair. He has not returned my call or email. I am thinking of stopping payment on the check and leaving a big note taped to the unit telling him to just do the repaie and not do the extra stuff. I know there's a fee for stopping patent but it is still a lot less than the bullshit upcharges.
Am I still within the time for stopping payment? What if they deposited it yesterday or today? Is there anything else I can do?

[Anonymous]

Call your bank and cancel the check.

Call the home warranty company and complain.

[Anonymous]

If you stop payment, leave him a voicemail and then send him an e-mail confirming that you left him a message telling him you are stopping payment. Otherwise, if he incurs charges from his bank, you may be on the hook for them. He may wind up never returning, so you should also bring the warranty company into the communication loop on this.

[Anonymous]

Have you called your bank yet?